The typical car wash water reclamation apparatus comprises a series of settling tanks located beneath the car wash and an outlet hose assembly. The used water from the car wash enters the settling tanks, where it is subject to a natural gravitational filtration process, and is then delivered back to the car wash through the outlet hose assembly. The used water, having been used for washing dirty automobiles and draining generally from the floor of the car wash, contains bristles from the car wash brushes, dirt, stones and other foreign matter. The basic objective of any car wash water reclamation apparatus, therefore, is to remove this foreign matter from the water so that clean water can be recycled and used again in the car wash, thus conserving water and reducing the expenses associated with operating a car wash.
In the typical car wash water reclamation apparatus, used water enters the first of several settling tanks through a drain in the car wash floor. A large percentage of the foreign matter filters out of the used water in this first settling tank. The water then flows, via a connecting pipe, to a second or intermediate settling tank, where the force of gravity acts to separate out finer particles from the used water. The water then flows, via a connecting pipe, to a reclamation tank, from where it is pumped back to the car wash through an outlet hose assembly.
The typical outlet hose assembly consists of a rigid pipe extending vertically from the top of the reclamation tank down into the water. A standard foot valve is attached to the intake end of the rigid vertical pipe. A pump is connected to the outlet hose assembly, and the foot valve operates to close off the inlet of the outlet hose assembly when the pump is not in operation. The foot valve also operates to prime or retain water in the outlet hose assembly when the water level in the reclamation tank drops below the end of the outlet hose assembly, thus maintaining a primed pump.
Unfortunately, bristles and other foreign matter occasionally find their way into the reclamation tank and are drawn into the foot valve, keeping the valve constantly open, allowing water in the outlet hose assembly to drop back into the reclamation tank by virtue of a back-siphon, thus emptying or depriming the outlet hose assembly. This allows undesirable air to enter the supply line to the water pump, which could damage the pumps. When this happens, the supply of recycled water is also greatly diminished. Thus, to retain the benefit of the car wash water reclamation apparatus, the foot valve must be cleared of foreign debris.
In order to clear the foot valve in the typical car wash water reclamation apparatus, the car wash must be shut down and an attendant must gain access to the foot valve in the reclamation tank through an opening in the top of the tank. The attendant may either first drain the tank, enter the tank, and manually clear the foot valve, or enter the full tank and manually clear the foot valve while submerged in the water. The inconveniences associated with either method are obvious.
Furthermore, if the attendant decides to drain the tank and the foreign debris in the foot valve has caused the foot valve to remain open, the water in the outlet hose assembly will discharge into the reclamation tank, further requiring the attendant to refill the outlet hose assembly, or prime the pump, before reactivating the pump.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an outlet hose assembly that allows the foot valve to be cleared without entering the reclamation tank. The present invention achieves this object by providing a flexible outlet hose assembly that allows an attendant to lift the foot valve to the opening at the top of the reclamation tank for clearing from outside the reclamation tank. The flexible outlet hose assembly thus eliminates the need to enter the reclamation tank to clear the foot valve.
When the foot valve is raised above the water level, however, if foreign debris causes the foot valve to remain open, the water in the outlet hose assembly will discharge into the reclamation tank, therefore requiring an attendant to prime the pump before the pump can be reactivated. Therefore, a second object of the present invention is to provide means to prevent the water in the outlet hose assembly from discharging into the reclamation tank when the foot valve is being cleared. The present invention achieves this object by placing a springloaded, one-way check valve in the outlet hose in combination with the foot valve. The check valve remains closed when the pump is turned off and thus keeps the outlet hose assembly primed at all times, regardless of whether the foot valve is open or closed.